12 Free Biomedical Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 10 hours ago
- 7 min read
Biomedical engineering programs can be a strong option if you’re a high school student interested in exploring the intersection of biology, medicine, and engineering. They introduce you to concepts like medical devices, tissue engineering, and data analysis while helping you build relevant technical and analytical skills. Many of these programs are free or offer stipends, making them more accessible and reducing the financial barrier to participation.
Why should you attend a biomedical engineering program?
These programs are often hosted by universities and research institutions, providing you with structured learning experiences in biomedical science. Depending on the program, you might study topics such as biomaterials, medical imaging, or genetics while engaging in research activities and developing scientific communication skills. They are worth considering if you are looking for accessible opportunities or aiming to explore biomedical engineering in greater depth.
To help with your search, here are 12 free biomedical engineering summer programs for high school students.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee (can be waived); need-based stipend provided
Dates: June 8 - July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors; 16+ at start; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
During the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program, you’ll spend eight weeks immersed in a Stanford research lab, mentoring with faculty, postdocs, and grad students. You’ll engage in authentic biomedical research, designing experiments, analyzing data, and attending weekly lectures and career panels. The program includes training in lab safety and research ethics, as well as networking opportunities with current Stanford researchers. At the end, you’ll present your work at a poster session to the Stanford community. This program is highly selective and gives you real exposure to cutting-edge med-tech science.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: The program is fully funded!
Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply here.
Eligibility: You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as medicine, biology, engineering, physics, economics, data science, computer science, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper.
Location: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free (includes $1,000 stipend and Port Authority bus pass)
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: March 27
Eligibility: Must have completed at least one year of high school biology
This four-week program immerses students in authentic biomedical research, with lab work alongside top researchers in the Department of Biological Sciences. You’ll learn by contributing to real-world research and carrying out weekly college prep sessions. You’ll gain hands-on lab skills, critical thinking, and scientific communication techniques. The program ends with a presentation of results in a departmental setting.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program type
Dates: Vary by cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students. Applicants must have prior coding experience or have completed AI Scholars
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, students learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients.
Location: Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 29 - August 7
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising seniors who reside in South Jersey
The six-week non-residential RISER program places rising high school seniors in biomedical labs at Rowan University, where they conduct experiments, analyze data, and conduct research under faculty mentorship. You will collaborate with peers and participate in a final symposium showcasing your findings. You will improve lab techniques and professional communication skills. The program also exposes you to the day-to-day work of biomedical scientists, helping you understand potential academic and career paths in the field.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free, including a $2,000 stipend upon program completion
Dates: June 1 - August 14
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors enrolled in full‑time NYC schools (must be NYC residents)
You’ll spend 10 weeks at NYU Tandon, starting with four weeks of training in lab safety, research skills, and scientific ethics. You’ll then join one of over 80 NYU labs for six weeks of hands-on research in fields like bio-interfacial engineering, molecular biology, or biomolecular diagnostics. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your technical writing and presentation skills, and wrap up by presenting your project at NYU’s colloquium and the American Museum of Natural History.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 15 - July 31
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from North Carolina, at least 16 at program start
You’ll spend seven weeks at Duke working in biomedical engineering labs, gaining hands-on exposure to real research projects. Guided by faculty and graduate student mentors, you’ll explore fields like tissue engineering, biomechanics, and medical imaging. Along with your lab work, you'll go to weekly seminars on professional skills, engineering careers, and college readiness. Social activities and community-building sessions will give you a taste of the collaborative side of STEM research.
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $17 per hour stipend
Dates: July 6 - August 14
Application Deadline: April 17
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+, studying in a school that meets the eligibility criteria (check here)
You’ll spend six weeks performing research in Tufts’ biomedical engineering labs, focusing on projects such as regenerative medicine, biomaterials, or medical devices. You’ll work directly with faculty and grad mentors to learn lab techniques and scientific thinking. You’ll develop your project from design to presentation and present it at a final symposium. The program builds both your technical lab skills and your confidence in communicating science. Even though it’s commuter-only, it’s otherwise fully funded and high-quality.
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 29 - July 24
Application Deadline: March 16
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; ages 15–17 at the start; view full criteria here
You’ll spend four immersive weeks on the JHU campus exploring biomedical engineering in areas such as biomechanics, biomaterials, and medical device design. Through hands-on lab work, coding challenges, and collaborative projects, you’ll build both technical and teamwork skills. Faculty and graduate student mentors will guide you, offering an overview of real-world BME research and applications. The program culminates in a student project showcase.
Location: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Cost: $2050 (Need-based scholarships available)
Dates: July 20 - July 26
Application Deadline: April 1 (Early Bird incentives available)
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in good academic standing (GPA ≥ 2.0)
You’ll dive into biomedical engineering by designing wearable devices that record human motion using CAD, 3D printing, and biomedical sensors. Through hands-on experimental work, you'll explore real-world healthcare challenges and build prototypes using engineering principles. The course structure combines technical lectures, lab sessions, and project-based teamwork designed to spark your creativity. Led by Professor Patrick Kumavor, this session gives you a micro-experience of what college-level BME study entails.
Location: CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Cost: $1,075 (scholarships available)
Dates: Session 1: June 8 - 11 | Session 2: June 15 - 18 | Session 3: June 22 - 25
Application Deadline: Applications open in January
Eligibility: Open to all students entering 10th - 12th grade
You’ll spend a full week immersed in biomedical engineering at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. You'll design, build, test, and refine a bioengineering prototype in a hands-on team challenge. Alongside that, you’ll explore foundational engineering principles and witness cutting-edge research, like CRISPR experiments and cadaver anatomy demos. You’ll also learn to empathize with STEM needs, build solutions with real-world applications, and develop ethical awareness. The program ends with you presenting your work to peers and mentors, giving you both technical experience and creative confidence.
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2000 (Need-based scholarships available) + $500 residential fee for Session 1
Dates: Session 1: July 6 - 10 | Session 2: July 13 - 17 | Session 3: July 20-24
Application Deadline: May 29
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th-grade students from the Philadelphia area and surrounding regions, who have completed one year of biology
You’ll spend one action-packed week at Drexel University’s biomedical engineering camps exploring topics like neural engineering, gene editing, and tissue scaffolding. You’ll strengthen core research and lab skills through hands-on experiments, workshops, and site visits to real research labs. Industry speakers and faculty-led seminars will broaden your understanding of biomedical careers. You’ll work on team projects and wrap up with presentations where you share your findings with peers and mentors.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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